The Best Years
by abbierena
Summary: Sequel to Senior Year. Our favorite, crazy college girls are now thirty-something and trying to maintain a balance between work and fun while experiencing motherhood and the ups and downs of marriage, and divorce.
1. Lip Gloss And Crushes

**A/N: Our girls only make a cameo appearance in the first chapter, but I felt as if it was important to introduce some of the kids. This version is different from the original story that was posted a year ago, but I felt as if way too much had happened since the last time I posted this story and a little change might be good.**

**The Novak Residence**

**7:15 AM**

**Kylie's POV**

"Just one more picture," my mom Alex pleads.

"Mom, you'll see me in a few hours. It's not like I'm going off to college yet," I urge her.

"Don't even remind us," my mom Casey says. "There's only one more year until that happens."

"It's the first day of your senior year, Kylie Alexandra, let us be excited for you," my mom Alex says as she places her arm around me.

"And you look beautiful," my mom Casey tells me.

"No, I don't," I tell them. "That snobby private school you guys send me to forces us to wear uniforms. I look like a fucking tool."

"Language!" my mom Alex says. "And what did we tell you about using that word in front of your sister?" I look at my five year old sister Emma who is sitting on the couch and watching cartoons. The poor little girl is going to start kindergarten in a few hours and I just know our moms are going to be taking pictures of her like crazy and crying when they drop her off. Even though Emma and I aren't blood related, we feel like we are. Our mom Alex had me when she was in college. She always tells me the story about how she and my mom Casey couldn't wait to start their family so they searched for a donor and everything when they were only freshmen. Our mom Casey gave birth to Emma, which everyone thinks is obvious because she has her red hair and green eyes.

I ignore my mom's question and focus on my sister. "Good luck today, Em," I tell her. "If you want, I can pick you up from school and we can get ice cream." My sister looks at me and starts to nod.

When I turn around to look at my moms, I see that they're kissing each other and my mom Alex has her arm extended so she can get a picture of what they're doing.

"You guys are disgusting," I tell them even though I actually like when they're affectionate. They're my role models when it comes to relationships. They've been together for 17 years now and they still act like newlyweds.

"I'm going to say that next time I see you kissing your girlfriend," my mom Casey teases.

"I don't have a girlfriend," I tell them. Lately, I've been keeping my private life private and they've been doing whatever it takes to get information out of me. I don't actually have a girlfriend right now, but they're under the impression that I do.

"Maybe not right now, but you will," my mom Casey says. "You look just like your mom Alex and she is such a beautiful woman."

The two of them start kissing again and I take it as my cue to leave. I quickly say goodbye to them and my sister and grab the keys to my car. When I turned 16 last year, my moms got me the red Mercedes I had been wanting. Even though they're paying for it, their rule is that I can't drive it unless I have a job so I managed to get myself a part-time job at Starbucks and now I'm able to drive this beauty around. Plus, there's a girl I'm after who looks great in this car.

My Aunt Allegra and Aunt Megan have a son named Dorian who is starting his freshman year today and my moms' best friends Abbie and Serena have a daughter named Mackenzie and a sister named Dallas who are also incoming freshmen. It's my responsibility to pick them up and take them to school, but I really don't mind. The four of us have grown up together and we've become really close over the years, especially after everything that happened when my mom Alex was in Witness Protection and I couldn't see her. My mom Casey and I cried a lot during that time and Dorian, Mackenzie, and Dallas were always there to play with me and cheer me up.

After showing them where their classes are, I head over to my locker to fix my make-up and make sure my hair is okay. I'm usually not a vain girl, but I'm expecting to see a special someone before first period.

"Hey," my dream girl says as she stops by my locker.

"Hi," I reply nervously. Her chin-length blonde curls are looking especially shiny today and I start to feel bad for checking her out. I'm not supposed to like this girl and I don't even want to know what my moms would say if they found out.

"Ready for AP Physics?" she asks, trying to make conversation. The two of us used to be able to talk about anything, but now our conversations are becoming awkward.

"Yeah," I reply shyly.

"The people here are assholes," she tells me. "I kinda miss my old school."

"Welcome to Manhattan," I say to her. "It's nothing like Colorado, but I'm glad you're here."

"Me, too," she replies. "I mean, I'm not glad I'm _here _but I'm glad I'm here with you, Kylie."

In the small town she just moved from, she was forced to be in the closet, but in New York she finally feels free to be herself. The kids at my school may be spoiled, but they're pretty cool about other people's sexual preferences and she must have picked up on this because in that moment Charla Anne Lacroix laces her fingers with mine and doesn't let go until we've reached our classroom.

**The Benson Residence**

**7:30 A.M.**

**Hannah's POV**

I'm supposed to be in school in an hour and I'm barely doing my hair. Last year, I didn't care what I looked like but this year is different. Today is my first day of junior high and I want to make sure I look perfect. I'm not trying to impress anybody, but I've heard stories about girls getting bullied by other girls for something so stupid like having a certain haircut. I already wear braces so I know I'm going to be a target because of that. I wish my mom would let me wear make-up, but every time I ask she says I'm way too young. It's something we've been fighting about a lot lately. I know she wants me to stay her little girl, but she needs to understand that I'm a 7th grader now.

"Hannah, your breakfast is getting cold," I hear my mom say from the kitchen. I usually just eat cereal and toast in the morning, but my mom wanted me to have something special before my first day of school.

"Chocolate chip pancakes!" I say excitedly and start to smile.

"I know they're your favorite," she tells me. "And I think that's the first time you've smiled at me in over a week."

"Last night was the first time you've seen me in a week," I remind her and roll my eyes. "I was with Daddy last week, remember?"

"Hannah Stabler, what did I tell you about rolling your eyes at me?" my mom asks.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. "I've just been going back and forth between you and Daddy every week since I was five and I'm starting to get tired of it. I want one bedroom and one life. I hate having my life here and then Sunday night, it's time to leave and return to my life at Daddy's and then the next Sunday night I have to leave Daddy and come back here. I want you two to be married again and I want us to be a happy family like we were when I was a little girl. Was it something I did?"

"Sweetheart, it had nothing to do with you," my mom assures me. "Your dad and I just aren't in love with each other anymore, but we both love you very much."

That's the typical response that divorced parents give their kids, but I won't tell my mom that.

"I have to go," I tell her. "School starts in half an hour and I still have to find my first period class."

"I want to walk you there," my mom says and she starts laughing when she sees the color drain from my face.

"No!" I tell her. "Please, Mom, no. I'm in 7th grade now. None of the other kids are having their parents walk them. I'm going to look like a geek. Speaking of geeks, does this outfit make me look like one?"

I try and fail to strike a sophisticated pose as my mom inspects my outfit. I'm wearing a denim skirt and a burgundy sweater that belonged to my mom when she was my age.

"You look beautiful," she tells me. "Do you have your new phone with you?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Are everyone's numbers in it yet?" she asks.

"For the millionth time, yes, Mom," I tell her. "I have your number, Daddy's number, Aunt Alex's number, Aunt Casey's number, Aunt Abbie's number, Aunt Serena's number, Uncle John's number, Uncle Fin's number, Aunt Melinda's number, and Grandpa Don's number. I think I'm set."

"One more thing," she tells me.

"What now?" I ask as I'm becoming frustrated. "Mom, I'm gonna be late."

My mom quickly heads over to her room and comes back with a tube of cherry flavored clear lip gloss. When she hands it over to me, I can't help but start smiling at her again.

"This is the one I wanted!" I tell her excitedly. "But I thought I couldn't wear lip gloss yet."

"You're 12 now, Hannah," she says to me. "I think you're old enough to wear lip gloss now, but that's all the make-up you're going to wear until high school and I don't want us to fight about that anymore."

"Deal," I say to my mom as I run to give her a hug. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Hannah."

"Will you walk me to school?" I ask and my mom just smiles at me. That's all the answer I need.


	2. Good At Goodbye

JeffHardy724: No worries. I hope work is at least enjoyable. :) There will be lots of Kylie's POV coming up. She's going to be realizing some crazy things in this story.

Kaslyna: haha I should have taken your advice about Kylie and Charla to begin with. It changed because of the divorce and all the other stuff that happened around the beginning of this summer. It kinda made me want to write a different version.

Lis: Thank you! Different in a good way or no?

* * *

><p><strong>The Carmichael Residence<strong>

**9:00 A.M.**

**Abbie's POV**

"Do you think my teacher is going to ask me my ABCs?" my daughter Abilene asks as she is sitting down to breakfast.

"If she does, you'll be okay," I assure her. "We practiced all summer. Let me hear you say them."

"A, B, C, D, E…" my daughter starts reciting. Today is her first day of kindergarten and I'm probably more nervous than she is. Abilene is my baby and this is a major milestone in her life. Even though we have another daughter, Abilene is our miracle baby. I tried for years to get pregnant, but nothing worked. Serena and I were about to give up hope until one night we tried the insemination in our bed while we were making love and it worked. Nine months later, my Abilene, or Little Abbie as everyone likes to call her, was born. She reminds me so much of myself as a child. We even look alike right down to our black hair, dark eyes, and dimples.

"Are you going with us to school?" Abilene asks Serena as she walks into the kitchen to grab some breakfast go.

"I can't, sweetheart," Serena says and then kisses her on the cheek. "I have to go to work right now, but your mommy is going to take lots of pictures for me to see when I get home."

"It's not the same," Abilene insists. "Either you're at work or Mommy is at work. We're never together."

"We'll be together tonight," Serena promises and Abilene gets back to eating her cereal.

Before Serena heads out the door, she plants a kiss on my lips and I'm grateful she got it over with. Serena and I have been having marital problems lately, but we've been too afraid to address any of them. Addressing our problems reaffirms that they exist.

Within ten minutes of Serena leaving, my best friend Casey shows up with her daughter Emma. Emma runs up to Abilene and gives her a hug. I can't help but smile at the two of them. They are so cute together. Emma and Abilene have been inseparable since they were babies and I'm glad they are starting school together. Being in the same classroom will make kindergarten a lot less scary for them.

Emma may be excited, but Casey is just the opposite. I can tell she is trying to hold back her tears.

"Casey, it's kindergarten, not college. She's going to be alright," I urge, but I know she isn't buying it.

"She's growing up so fast," Casey tells me. "It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant with her and now she's starting kindergarten and Kylie is a senior. I didn't get to see Kylie on her first day of kindergarten. I was here while my daughter was starting school in Boston because Alex insisted on going to Harvard Law School."

"Tell me about it," I say to her. "I had to miss Mackenzie's birth because I was in Austin and I couldn't get a flight out."

"You win," Casey says. "Unless I bring up the fact that my wife was in Witness Protection and I—"

"Okay, _you_win," I interrupt. There really is no way to have pity on yourself when Casey plays the 'wife in Witness Protection' card.

When we arrive at our daughters' school, there are parents saying tearful goodbyes to their children. I don't know how to feel about being the only mother who isn't crying. I love Abilene, but I know if I cry then she will cry. I lift her up one more time and give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Have a good day, baby," I tell her. "I'll be here to pick you up in a few hours. I love you."

"I love you, too, mommy," she says and then starts to get antsy. "Come on, Emma."

"Mommy, I have to go," Emma says, but Casey won't put her down.

"I don't want you to go," Casey tells her. "Let's wait one more year to put you in school. We don't have to tell your mommy Alex and every day we'll go out for ice cream."

"But I have to," Emma says to Casey. "I want to be in school. I want to be with Abilene."

Casey finally gives in and our two little girls join hands and walk over to their classroom together. Abilene has been in daycare since she was a baby, so she's used to being away from Serena and me, but Emma is different. This is her first time away from home and she may be excited right now, but I have a feeling she's going to start missing her mom. Unlike Abilene, Emma has always had one of her moms home at all times. Ever since Emma was born, Casey has been a stay-at-home mom. It took awhile for her to get used to it, but both Casey and Alex felt as if it was the best thing for their girls. After everything that happened to Alex, they knew it was best if Kylie had some stability instead of being a latchkey kid. I asked Casey if she resented the fact that Alex gets to be out in the world while she stays home and she told me she wouldn't have it any other way because her staying home has brought them even closer together. I love the two of them, but I can't help but be jealous whenever I spend time with them as a couple. They're always holding each other and kissing each other every chance they get. Serena and I were like that once, but so many things have been causing us to drift apart.

"BiFF?"

"Yeah?" Casey responds as she tries to regain her composure.

"I think we're in need of a coffee date," I tell her.

* * *

><p><strong>Starbucks<strong>

**Casey's POV**

"Are you okay?" I ask Abbie as we sit at a table with two of the most fattening drinks we could possibly order.

"As okay as I'm going to be," Abbie tells me as she sips on her drink. "I have a question. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you look at Alex?"

I wasn't expecting something this heavy. Usually whenever Abbie and I have a coffee date, we reminisce about our younger days or talk about our children. I can tell this is going to be nothing like that.

"When I look at Alex," I begin telling her. "I start thinking about how I'm the luckiest woman to ever walk the planet. We've been through so much since we were 18 and yet we're still together. I love her more than I love life itself and I know what it's like to be without her and I never want to experience that again. But, to be honest with you, I'm mostly thinking about how I'm going to get her naked."

"I'm being serious," Abbie insists. I know she isn't amused.

"So am I," I tell her.

"So, you two don't have any problems?"

"We have problems like all married couples do, but after everything we've been through, we try not to sweat the small stuff," I point out. "If you've been through what Alex and I have been through, you'd know it was pointless to fight over trivial things like who does the laundry or who takes out the trash. But what brought this on?"

Abbie takes a deep breath before answering my question. "When I look at Serena," she starts to tell me. "I don't see that woman I fell in love with. I see domesticity, restriction, the list is endless. There's no more passion or intimacy. She tries, but she just doesn't turn me on the way she used to."

I'm about to offer her some advice, but her phone starts to ring and she insists on picking it up. It's a phone I've never seen before. I start to think it's a phone she uses for work until I hear her end of the conversation.

"Hi, beautiful…yeah, she's at work…I'm picking up my daughter in a few hours, but nothing until then…yeah, I can get away…your place?...okay, I'll be right there."

"BiFF, what's going on?" I ask when she hangs up the phone.

"Nothing," she responds. "I have to go. Do me a favor? Everything you heard today stays between us."

She takes off before I can get another word in. Even though Abbie won't give me any details, I know what she's doing. It's the same thing I did with Alejandra when I was in college and I don't want Serena to have to go through the same heartache that Alex did. We're picking up our daughters from school in a few hours and I honestly don't know how I'm going to feel when I see her now that I know she's cheating on Serena.


	3. Little Secret

**Kaslyna: **Yeah, I got divorced in June. :) **Lisa: **Thanks, I'm glad you like the re-write. Abbie being a cheater is like the only thing that hasn't changed. **Dee Hensley: **There will be no Abbie slapping. haha. **dove in love: ** *kisses and hugs* omg I missed you so much! I'm glad you're back. I hope school isn't too stressful for much longer.

* * *

><p><strong>Hannah's POV<strong>

My first day of junior high was worse than I had expected. I was late to all of my classes because I was lost and everyone I asked gave me the wrong directions, everyone except for my new friend Julie Lacroix. She's a 7th grader just like me and she's new to the area. She just moved here from Colorado and she says that she hates it here. I hate it here, too, but there's no way I can leave.

The people at my new school are even meaner than they were at my elementary school. I got made fun of by three 8th grade girls today and Julie threatened to beat them up, the only problem is she's little for her age and they'd probably beat her up instead of it being the other way around. When I first met Julie, she was shoving papers into her locker, not placing them in there, shoving them. Our lockers are right next to each other and when I couldn't open my lock, she was nice enough to show me how. Julie isn't like the other girls at our school. She loves sports and hates make-up. I'm her only friend at this school and she's my only friend too. I had friends in elementary school, but none of them talk to me anymore. I thought we were going to be friends forever but they ditched me for boys and more popular girls. Hannah Stabler, you are officially at the bottom of the junior high food chain.

"Do you want a boyfriend?" I ask as we're on our way to her apartment after school.

"I don't know," Julie tells me. "Boys don't look at girls who are tomboys. Do you want one?"

"Yeah, but boys don't look at girls who have braces either," I say to her. "I really like Tony. He's in my science class. I saw him for the first time today and I'm already in love. It's not like I can even have a boyfriend, though. My dad would kill him and my mom would probably do a background check."

"What do your parents do?" she asks.

"They're both detectives," I tell her. "They work for the special victims unit."

"So they get to have guns and arrest people? That's so cool!"

"I guess," I tell her. "I mean, it's cool for my dad,.but I don't like my mom being a detective. I wish she were like a normal mom who baked cookies and wore pretty sweaters."

"Your mom is a detective," Julie pointed out. "She knows how to use a gun and she's strong enough to take down criminals. That's the coolest thing ever. I wish my moms were like that."

"You have two moms?" I ask.

"Yeah," she tells me. "My mom Charlene used to be an NFL cheerleader and she's still really pretty. I hate that about her. My other mom Chrissy works on Wall Street. She's an executive and she's really smart. I hate _that _about her. I'm not asking to be pretty and smart, but I'd at least like to be one of those."

"You're both of those things," I tell her, but she's no longer listening. She is fixated on a blonde woman near the elevator of her building. She is dressed very chic and her hands are full of Chanel, Dior, and Gucci shopping bags.

"Juliet!" the woman calls out to Julie.

"Who is that woman?" I ask.

"That's my mom, Charlene," Julie says and leads me over to her. That woman is a mom? She looks more like an actress or a model. "Hi, Mom. This is my new best friend Hannah."

"Pleased to meet you, Hannah," Mrs. Lacroix tells me. "You look so familiar. Are you related to an Olivia Benson?"

"That's my mommy," I say to her. "How do you know my mom?"

"I've known your mom since before you were even born," she responds. "She's friends with my daughter Casey and my daughter-in-law Alex."

"You're Casey's little sister?" I ask Julie and she nods. This is brilliant. My mom is always worried when I go to other people's houses, but there's no way she'd say no to me visiting Julie now that I know she's Casey's sister and my mom knows her parents.

When we get in the elevator, Mrs. Lacroix pushes the 'PH' button. "What's that mean?" I ask.

"Penthouse, sweetheart," she says and starts smiling at me. "One of the perks of having a Wall Street executive for a wife."

When we enter their penthouse, I try to take in the scenery as best as I possibly can. Everything looks so modern and...expensive. I know Julie isn't a show off, but I'm starting to feel embarrassed about where I live. My mom and I aren't struggling, but we are far from rich. There's no way we could afford any of the things that Julie's moms can. Even though Julie is my best friend, I'm starting to feel jealous of her. She has parents who are together, a penthouse, and a glamorous mom who shops at Chanel. None of this is fair.

* * *

><p><strong>Kylie's POV<strong>

"Shit, your mom is home," I tell Charla as I grab my shirt from the floor and start to fumble with the buttons.

"Kylie, it's okay," Charla tells me. She's extremely calm and lying on her bed in nothing but her bra and short pleated skirt. "Come back to me. I can hear her in the living room talking to Julie. You know she's going to be questioning her about her first day of junior high. We have plenty of time left."

"It's too risky," I tell her, but she starts unhooking her bra. Once it's off, she tosses it my way. It's official. I cannot resist her and I suddenly don't care who is home. This is the first time I've ever been given the chance to make out with a topless girl and I'm not going to pass that up.

"I just made it even more risky," Charla says and starts to shimmy out of her skirt. Now that her skirt is off, she is wearing nothing but black lacy panties. She's only 15 and she's already a seductress. I can just imagine what she's going to be like when she's older. I decide to throw caution to the wind and remove my shirt and my skirt. Charla motions for me to join her on the bed and I waste no time getting back to our former position.

"You're so hot," she says to me in between kisses.

"You're even hotter," I tell her. "I want to be with you. I don't see how it would be wrong."

"It's not wrong," Charla says to me. "We have feelings for each other and we shouldn't have to deny that. We're not really related, Kylie. We're just related in that bullshit way our parents say we are. You're my half-sister's wife's daughter. There's no blood relation. Casey isn't your biological mom, which means my mom isn't your biological grandma and I'm not your aunt."

"Still," I tell her. "They'd think it's incest."

"We'll just tell them when the time is right," she says to me. "I'm not giving you up."

"I'm not giving you up either. I'm making you my girlfriend someday."

"Probably _after _you start having sex with me," Charla teases and I can't help but blush. I've never had sex before and neither has Charla. As cheesy as it sounds, we've been saving ourselves for each other and I know the time is going to come very soon.

* * *

><p><strong>Alex's POV<strong>

It's a little after ten by the time I walk in the front door. The dishes have been done, all the lights except for the living room light have been turned off, and there's not so much as a peep to be heard. This can only mean one thing: all three of my girls are already sleep. I had wanted to have dinner with my girls tonight, but I ended up staying at my office and giving them the dreaded 'Mommy, won't be home for dinner tonight' phone call. Emma was upset, but Kylie didn't care either way. She and I have been drifting further and further apart and I would like to think it's because she's a teenager, but that doesn't make sense because Kylie is extremely close to Casey. There are so many secrets that I've been keeping from my daughter and that must be a factor in all of this.

I prepare to go up to my room and find my wife sound asleep, but instead she has a surprise for me. I open the door to find her sitting up in our bed in a lacy red negligee that I've never seen before. She makes her way over to me and I know her intentions were to be seductive, but all of that changes the moment she unbuttons my blazer and slips her arms around my waist. I hold her as close as I can and the two of us share the type of intimacy that we haven't shared in awhile. Casey and I make love every night, but it's rare that we just hold each other. I can smell her perfume and feel a combination of the lace from her negligee and the softness of her skin.

"I love you so much," I tell her.

"I love you, too," she says and then starts to kiss me. "Alex?"

"Yes, babe?"

"Thank you for being you," Casey tells me.

"I should be thanking you," I say to her. "You're raising our girls and yet you still have energy to put up with me when I get home. And you never complain when I have to put in long hours. You're always so understanding."

"I know what your job is like," Casey reminded her. "That was _my _job the whole time you were–"

"Let's not talk about it," I tell her. "I have a better idea."

"What?" Casey asks. I grab her by the hand and lead her to our bed.

"How about if we just hold each other for the rest of the night?" I ask.

Casey and I spend the next couple of hours holding on to each other and talking about our day. Next week will make 18 years since I met her and 'm still falling in love with Casey a little more each day.


	4. Parents and Grandparents

**nattie89: **Aww, thanks. There's plenty of adventures left for these girls. :) **Dee Hensley: **I'm glad you're holding off on the Abbie slapping, at least for now. haha. **dove in love: **(kisses and hugs). I hope math is becoming easier for you. I don't think Charlene really gives a damn about her kids. Alex and Casey's anniversary is coming up soon. I think it'll be two chapters away. :) **JeffHardy724: **I'm glad you're liking Kylie. :) It seems as if she is the star of this story. haha. Poor girl is witnessing all of this craziness around her and she will definitely be causing trouble.

* * *

><p><strong>Starbuck's<strong>

**Kylie's POV**

"That'll be $5.75," I tell the customer I'm ringing up. He's been here everyday for the past three weeks and each time I ring him up, he always gives me the creeps. I want to tell him that my mom, my Aunt Olivia, and my Uncle Elliot put pedophiles away for a living, but maybe that's coming on a bit too strong.

When he hands me his credit card, I see that his name is Michael Walters. I'll have to make a mental note of that in case I need to file a restraining order against him someday.

"Kylie," he says, glancing at my nametag. "What's your last name, sweetheart?"

"I don't feel comfortable saying that," I tell him.

"You look an awful lot like someone I used to know," he tells me.

I let it slip out. "People say I look exactly like my mom," I say to him.

"Alexandra Cabot?" he asks.

"I have no idea who that is," I lie, but he doesn't get the hint.

"You're Alex's daughter," he says. "How old are you? About 16?"

"Sorry, sir, but I have other customers to ring up," I tell him and he finally decides to leave. There's no other customer in line except for Charla, but that man was really starting to creep me out. How the hell does he know my mom?

"Are you okay?" Charla asks.

"I'm fine, gorgeous," I tell her and get started on her drink. She orders the same thing everyday I'm at work: a grande mocha frappuccino with extra whipped cream and chocolate syrup on top.

"The sweetest drink on the menu for the sweetest girl in the world," I tell her as I give her her drink.

Seeing Charla smile takes my mind off of the conversation I just had with that last customer. Or at least it does for a nanosecond before it dawns on me that Mike Walters was the name of my grandma's ex-husband. This man was my step-grandpa! How could I be so rude? I'll make a mental note to be nice to him the next time he comes in.

"Hey, Mike," Charla says nonchalantly to my step-grandpa. "Is my mom here?"

"Yeah, she's at the table," Mike tells her. "She's hidden behind the _Wall Street Journal_."

"Like always," Charla says sarcastically. "I think you see my mom more than her own wife and kids do."

"I can send her over here," Mike says to Charla and I start to wonder what's going on.

"Don't," Charla insists. "I don't even know what to say to that woman."

Charla looks upset and I want to reach over the counter and hold her hand, but I'm afraid my grandma, who is also Charla's mom, will see. As if on cue, my grandma puts her paper down and walks over to Charla and me.

"Grandma Chrissy!" I say excitedly. "It's been so long. I think I saw you more when you lived in Colorado. What are you having?"

"Just give me the least fattening thing on the menu," Grandma Chrissy tells me.

"The least fattening thing?" Charla asks, frustrated. "Mom, you hardly eat and you've dropped from a size 2 to a size 00."

"My weight is none of your concern, Charla Anne," Grandma says to her in that tone that mothers use when they want their daughters to shut up. "And this isn't for me. It's for Charlene. Lord knows she needs it."

"Excuse me?" Charla asks in an extremely disrespectful tone.

"If it's not one thing with that woman, it's another," Grandma tells Mike, completely ignoring Charla. "This week, she swears she's fat and she's already made an appointment for liposuction. You've seen her, Mike. Isn't she beautiful?"

"Stunning," Mike responds and I start to wonder how these two know each other. "The woman is a vision."

"And I love her the way she is," Grandma says. "I have since I was 13. She's just a little insecure right now."

"How do you two know each other?" I ask when I give my grandma her drink. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Christiane, you know her?" Mike asks Grandma Chrissy.

"She's my granddaughter," Chrissy informs him. "Charlene and I aren't blood-related to her, but I've been in this little one's life since before she was even born. She looks more and more like her mother each day."

"How do you know my Kylie?" Chrissy asks Mike. "Frequent customer?"

"She is my ex-wife's granddaughter," Mike tells her, which makes me feel a little more comfortable around him now.

"Small world," Grandma says and starts smiling. "We're both Kylie's grandparents in some way."

"I guess you can say that," Mike says nervously. My feelings of ease have suddenly disappeared, but if Grandma Chrissy knows him, he must not be that bad.

"But how do you two know each other?" I ask yet again.

"Christiane and I work together," Mike tells me. "I spend a good ten or twelve hours a day with that woman. I'm trying to coax the Colorado out of her, slowly but surely. Most importantly, I'm trying to coax the Mississippi out of her, starting with that accent. I have to keep telling her, 'This is Wall Street, sweetheart, not Hee Haw.'"

"I like the way my mom talks," Charla tells him.

"So do I," I add. "When she talks, it's like listening to a country song."

"You're a douchebag if you try to change her," Charla says to him.

"Charla Anne Lacroix!" Grandma says angrily. "You apologize this instant."

"Fuck you, Chrissy," Charla says slowly. "I'm sorry. You're name isn't Chrissy anymore. It's Christiane now that Mike says women named Chrissy aren't executives; they're the ones giving head to executives."

"Charla, sweetheart," I say and grab Charla's hand. "Let's get going. It's time for me to clock out anyway."

Charla doesn't say anything. She just nods and I can tell she's trying not to cry.

"Grandma, I can take that coffee to Grandma Charlene," I tell her. "Charla and I are going over there anyway."

"It was giving me an excuse to see my wife, but I should probably get back to the office," Grandma says to me.

"Of course," Charla says sarcastically.

"It was nice to formally meet you," I say to Mike and start smiling at him. "I can't wait to tell my mom."

"Do me a favor, Kylie?" he asks. "Don't tell your mom that you met me. She and I didn't exactly get along. You know how it is with kids and stepparents."

* * *

><p><strong>The Lacroix Residence<strong>

**Kylie's POV**

When we arrived at my grandmas' penthouse, my grandma Charlene was already headed out the door.

"Grandma gave me this latte to give to you," I tell her.

"I'll be sure to thank her for adding another 500 calories to my daily intake," Grandma Charlene says and hands the drink to Charla. "You can have it, Charla. Or give it to Julie and her little friend Hannah. She's spending the night tonight. I have to hit Nordstrom's before they close, so I'll see you girls in a couple of hours."

Without even giving us a chance to say goodbye, Grandma Charlene was already out the door. Charla just looks at me and I lead her to the couch so we could cuddle. The girl of my dreams is having a hard time and I want to be there for her.

"I have the most fucked up parents in the world," Charla tells me. "Ever since we moved here, things have changed. My mom Chrissy is a coke addict now."

"No way," I say in disbelief.

"Why do you think she's so skinny and has so much energy even when she doesn't eat anything, Kylie? I caught her snorting it the other day when the bedroom door was slightly ajar. She keeps it in a compact that she carries everywhere she goes. My mom Charlene doesn't even know. Since we've been here Charlene has changed too. She's gotten a breast lift, Botox, laser surgery on the c-section scar she got when she had Julie, permanent eyeliner, and now she's getting liposuction. She's constantly looking at herself in the mirror and planning her next procedure and when she's not doing that she's shopping. She doesn't give a damn about me and Julie. She's only 12 and she needs her moms or at least one of them, but instead I'm the one raising Julie. My mom Chrissy is hardly ever here, but when she is all she does is spend time fucking my mom Charlene. Those two are so wrapped up in each other. Why the hell did they even have us?"

"Your moms had you because they knew you were perfect for me," I tell her in hopes that it would cheer her up. Charla gives me a quick kiss and then starts to cry into my shoulder. I wish there was something I could tell her, but I have no idea what she is going through. My moms have a perfect marriage and they make my sister and me their priority. Maybe I should get my mom Casey to talk to Charla. She knows what it's like to be raised by Grandma Charlene.

Even though it's still early on a Friday night, Charla falls asleep in my arms. I'm the only one awake in the living room and my mind starts to wander. I can't stop thinking about Mike and the fact that he's my step-grandpa. I want to spend some time with him one-on-one and I hope he wants to do the same with me.


	5. Alex VS Kylie

**Kaslyna: **Kylie is an unruly girl. She will probably do it. haha. **Nita: **I took that into consideration, but I don't know if Olivia would do that since she is a friend and sorority sister to both Abbie and Serena, but I do like the Abbie/Olivia pairing. I'll be writing more about Abbie and her affair very soon. :) **dove in love: **(kisses and hugs). There's going to be plenty of chapters about Alex and Casey's anniversary. I just can't help myself. I love those two so much.

* * *

><p><strong>Victoria's Secret<strong>

**Kylie's POV**

My mom Alex and I are at Victoria's Secret right now because I said I wanted some new sweats to lounge around in. While we were on our way over here, she started telling me a story about how she practically lived in Victoria's Secret PINK sweats when she was pregnant with me. I love when my mom tells stories about her pregnancy; she practically glows. I asked her if she wanted to have another baby and her expression started to change.

"I can't," she said and bit her lip.

"Why?" I asked.

"Something happened when I had you and my doctor told me I shouldn't get pregnant again."

"It's my fault?"

"No, it's nobody's fault," she insisted. "Kylie Alexandra Novak, you are the best thing to ever happen to me and I'd go back to that time and have you all over again if I could."

We spent the rest of the cab ride making small talk because I knew that subject was starting to bother my mom. I love my mom, but she isn't the easiest person to talk to. She rarely shows emotions and she constantly thinks like a prosecutor. Whenever I do something wrong, I feel like she is putting me on trial.

After I grab a pair of sweats, I try to sneak a push-up bra into my shopping bag while my mom is looking at lingerie. Her anniversary is coming up and I know she wants to look sexy for my mom Casey. When she thinks I'm not looking, she grabs a sheer white babydoll nightie and matching thong.

"Hi, Mom!" I say to her. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing," she says, flabbergasted.

"Mom, it's okay," I tell her. "I know you have sex."

"Kylie Alexandra, I do no such thing."

"Yes, you do, Mom," I say when she tries not to blush. "I can hear you two from my room and, if it's not you, then your wife is having an affair. P.S. Whoever this woman is, she _really _satisfies her."

"Kylie Alexandra Novak," my mom repeats. "Where did you learn about that?"

"I'm going to be seventeen," I remind her. "You'd be surprised what I know."

My mom sighs and then leads me to the cash register with her nightie in hand. I nervously put the bra underneath the sweat pants and hope it will get rung up without my mom realizing exactly what she's paying for. The total comes to fifty dollars more than what my mom was expecting so she starts to question the cashier.

"I got two pairs of sweats," I tell my mom, but my mom can sense that I'm lying.

"Kylie, why is there a push-up bra in this transaction? Not just any push-up bra, but one that adds two cup sizes and gives you more cleavage than any teenage girl should have. I'd be too shy to even wear something like this in front of my own wife."

"I doubt that," I tell her. "If you're buying a see-through nightie, you obviously aren't that shy."

"What size is that bra?" my mom asks the cashier.

"34A," she responds.

"Leave it on the transaction," my mom says and I immediately start to smile. She has finally given in to me.

"Thanks, Mom," I say to her once we're walking out of the store.

"For what?" she asks.

"The sweats and the bra," I say and give her a confused look.

"I'm keeping that bra for myself," she informs me. "We just happen to wear the same size and I think I need it more than you do."

"You're 36 and you wear a 34A? Yeah, you definitely need it more than me," I say sarcastically.

This is another one of those moments in which I wish my relationship with my mom was different. I have questions about things, but I know I can't talk to her. It sounds wrong, but if I had to pick a favorite parent, it would definitely be my mom Casey. She's so cool and down-to-earth and we have a lot in common. Sometimes I wonder why she even married my mom Alex. They're so different from each other.

* * *

><p><strong>The Davies Residence<strong>

**Alex's POV**

**Later that day...**

I'm sitting on my twin sister's bed surrounded by a myriad of childhood photos. We have spent the past half an hour staring at one in particular. It's a picture of one of us in a black leotard at the age of seven or eight and we have been trying to figure out exactly who it is in that photo.

"I never had a black leotard," I tell her. "Mine were always pink. Then again, I borrowed yours that time I spilled ice cream on mine."

"I still think that's you," Megan says to me. "Look at the red mark on this girl's neck. You used to always scratch there for some reason."

"This girl?" I ask. "It's as if you're talking about some unknown person."

"Right now, she _is _unknown," Megan reminds me. "It's been half an hour and we still don't know if this is you or me."

"Mom and Dad always dressed us the same when we were little girls. I'm not sure who is who in half of these pictures."

"I'm glad it's not like that now," Megan says and starts laughing. "I have style and you look like Banana Republic ejaculated on you."

"Megan!"

"It's true," she insists. "Are you ready for your anniversary, Mrs. Novak?"

"I am, Mrs. Davies." As childish as it may seem, Megan and I still like calling each other by our last names as if we were newlyweds. It's something we do when we're alone because our friends have a tendency to make fun of us for being so into our wives.

"A whole week in LA with Casey and Allegra? Are you as wet as I am?"

"Megan!" I try to be appalled, but I can't help but laugh. This is what I've been dealing with for the past 36 years and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Speaking of, did you wax? We're leaving in two days. Please tell me you've already gotten waxed. You don't want to be unkempt for your wife."

"My appointment is tomorrow morning," I inform her. "But I'm not looking forward to it. I've never gotten it _all _waxed and I'm not sure I want to."

"Oh, I get it," Megan says. "You like your blonde muff mixing with Casey's firebush?"

"There's that," I tell her. "I also haven't been hairless there since I was 11 and I don't see why I should start again at 36. I'll feel like a pre-pubescent girl and my wife doesn't get off on that."

"Casey will get off on whatever you tell her to get off on," Megan teases. "You have her trained in bed the same way I have Allegra trained."

"What's that, baby?" Allegra asks as she pops in the room to see what Megan and I are doing.

"We're just talking about the trip," Megan tells her.

"I'm psyched," Allegra says to us. "G-Pi officially got a house this year and Casey and I are going to check it out. We also want to go to a football game and visit some other G-Pi girls that we went to school with. Then we're going to get some drinks with Caleb and the guys."

"You two do this every year," I remind her. "Every year, we go to LA and it turns into college part two."

"Well, then celebrate your anniversary somewhere other than our college campus," Allegra says. "It's not my fault that you insist on visiting the same area that you and Casey met followed by milkshakes at In-N-Out burger. Then the next day, we go to a bar and you and Casey get completely hammered and spend the rest of the night fucking loud enough for everyone in the hotel to hear. It's fun. Do you really want to do something more mature?"

"No," I say hesitantly.

"Thank freaking goodness," Allegra says. "We only get one real week of fun each year and I don't want to spoil it by acting mature."

"So, what sleazy outfit are you going to be wearing when Casey defiles you this year?" Megan asks.

"This," I say as I pull the nightie out of the Victoria's Secret bag. "Do you think she'll like it?"

"I can't give you an answer until I see it on you," Allegra tells me and I can't help but roll my eyes at her.

"Megan, control your wife," I say and Megan does just that. She grabs Allegra by her two front belt loops and pulls her on top of her. The two of them are making out in front of me just like they did when we were teenagers. I honestly don't mind. In fact, I envy the two of them. I wish Casey and I could be that free, but we've never been that kind of couple.

As they're continuing to make out, I start to think about the week we have ahead of us. Megan and Allegra have made plans for their son Dorian to stay with one of his friends and our girls are going to stay with their grandmas. Abbie and Serena had offered to watch them, but Kylie insisted on staying with Charla. The two of them went on about being able to sleep together every night. I thought it was unusual but my mother-in-law Charlene insisted that was typical teenage girl behavior. I trust her judgment. She's had five daughters and they all turned out almost as wonderful as my wife, whom I consider to be Charlene's greatest creation.

Everyone has a different opinion of Charlene, but I'll admit to admiring that woman. I wish I could have the kind of relationship with Kylie that Charlene had with Casey when she was growing up. I try to be there for Kylie, but she is always shutting me out. She has been acting different the past couple of days and everyone I tell insists it's because she's a teenage girl and teenage girls are supposed to be moody and difficult. Kylie has never been this way before. She was always called a miniature Alex, but when I wasn't looking all of that changed. I never had a good relationship with my mother and I'll be damned if the same thing happens with Kylie and me.

"Megan, this is you," I say as I toss the picture at her.

"What?" she asks from underneath Allegra.

"It says Megan Persephone Cabot on the back in Dad's small, barely legible handwriting."

"We spent half an hour examining every freckle and every little mark when we could have looked on the back?" she asks. "Ain't that a bitch."

"I have to go," I tell her. "My girls are waiting for me."

"Okay," she says, trying to sound sad. "Bye, Prude."

"Bye Harlot, or Harlots, I should say."

"You can join us, Alex," Allegra says as I'm heading out the door. It'll never happen, but Allegra always likes to suggest a Cabot twin threesome or, if not that, she wants Megan and I to 'play' with each other while she watches. Megan said she'd go for it, but the thought of sexually stimulating my twin sister is disgusting to me. My sister has been out of the porn industry ever since we turned 30, but some things never change. Deep down, she will always be 'Persephone' and I will always get mistaken for her.

When I get home, Emma runs to me and Kylie just rolls her eyes and takes off to her room. I need to have a talk with her and it needs to be soon.


	6. Infidelity

**Kaslyna: **Here's more. haha. **benbitt: **Thanks for the review. I think it's sweet that you listened to your wife's recommendation. Sororities are great. I really enjoyed the experiences I had with mine even though it was nothing like G-Pi. Yeah, I would have said the same thing you said about the beads. haha.

* * *

><p><strong>The Lacroix Residence<strong>

**Casey's POV**

I'm sitting at a table with Alejandra, Abbie, and my stepmom in her brand new G-Pi room. It's Chrissy's own personal shrine to the sisterhood of Gamma Pi Delta. My mom hated the fact that they'd be giving up an entire room of their penthouse just for sorority memorabilia, but when she realized how important it was to Chrissy, she decided to let her have her G-Pi room. After all, if it weren't for Chrissy they wouldn't even be living in a penthouse or New York, for that matter. There was also the fact that Allegra, Alejandra, and I talked to my mom about it on a daily basis. In a year, Kylie will be going off to college and it's important that we start teaching her about the sisterhood and all that it can offer her. We might be brainwashing my daughter but we don't care as long as she isn't led astray. If my little girl became a Kappa, I don't know what I'd do.

Speaking of Kappa, I can't help but laugh when I see Abbie start to scratch her neck.

"This room is giving me a rash," she says to us as we're sipping martinis around the table in the middle of the room.

"It's because you shouldn't be in here," Alejandra tells her. "The room knows where evil lurks."

Abbie pulls out her Kappa Gamma Phi lavalier from under her shirt and gives it a quick kiss. Her gesture makes Chrissy laugh and Alejandra roll her eyes. Abbie hasn't worn her lavalier on a regular basis since college, but she'll wear it every now and then when she is outnumbered by G-Pi women.

"You really _shouldn't _be in here," Chrissy says to Abbie. "But this is the only room where we can get any privacy. Julie and her friend Hannah are all over the place, Charlene is in the master bedroom, and I don't even want to know what Charla's problem is."

"Her problem is she's 15 and not getting any," Alejandra responded. "I think she needs a girlfriend and don't object to that, Chrissy. You were even younger than that when you first had sex with Charlene."

"Charlene and I have never had sex," Chrissy insists. "We make love. There's a difference."

"That's not what Charlene says," Abbie tells her and starts laughing. "Nothing good comes out of our women getting together. They actually rate our performance and go into detail. Alex doesn't, but our wives do."

"That's because Alex is completely satisfied," I brag.

"Really?" Alejandra asks me and starts laughing. "That's not what she told my girlfriend."

I glare at her for as long as I can until I start laughing along with her. Alex said no such thing, or at least I hope she said no such thing. After all of these years, Alejandra is still Alejandra and that's the one word that best describes her. We have our history, but we like to pretend as if none of it happened. The two of us were roommates when she was in business school and I was in law school. It wasn't the greatest living arrangement at first and Alex was constantly worried, but we made it work and we became better friends because of it. During those years, she was sleeping with as many women as she possibly could and I was spending my weekends in Boston with Alex and Kylie. To this day, Alejandra hasn't completely settled down. She has a girlfriend named Ana who is ten years younger than us. Ana is a sweet girl and we hope Alejandra doesn't do anything stupid to mess up their relationship. She insists that Ana is just temporary, but Abbie and I know otherwise. When she isn't at work or with us, she is with Ana. She even introduced her to our wives and brings her to all of our group outings. Ana was Emma and Abilene's preschool teacher and the two of them met when I brought Alejandra with me to pick up the girls from school. They hit it off right away and the two of them have been inseparable ever since.

"Performance is the reason why I wanted to meet with you," Abbie tells us, quickly grabbing our attention.

"Is Serena not putting out?" Alejandra asks.

"No," Abbie says hesitantly and sips her martini. "I'm not putting out."

Alejandra spits out her drink and starts choking. "What the fuck?"

"I haven't been looking at Serena the same way," Abbie confessed. "The two of us haven't had sex in months."

Chrissy puts her hand on Abbie's shoulder. "You're just in a slump, sweetheart. It happens to every married couple. You both have demanding jobs, plus you're raising three girls. You two need to get away for a weekend, just the two of you, so you can rediscover what it is that made you fall in love with her."

"It's too late," Abbie confesses. "A couple of weeks ago, Serena and I got into an argument and before either of us said anything we would regret, I left. I ended up going to a bar and while I was there I got approached by another woman. We were drinking and one thing led to another."

I already know where this is going, so I decide to stay quiet and let Abbie finish.

"Abbie, you didn't!" Chrissy says in disgust.

"I did," Abbie says to her and tries not to cry. "It was just once and I swore it was something I had to get out of my system, but then it happened again on my daughter's first day of school and a third time last night. I ended it with her this morning because the guilt is just eating me up inside."

"I don't know what to tell you, sweetheart," Chrissy says."You're going to have tell Serena, though."

"No!" Abbie says worriedly. "I love Serena. She's my best friend and I'm not going to hurt her like that."

"But you already hurt her," I tell Abbie.

"Shut up, Casey," Abbie says angrily. "You cheated on Alex with Alejandra."

"We were 20," Alejandra points out. "There's a difference between what you do when you're 20 and when you're in your mid-30s. Don't you think Casey still feels guilty about that and don't you think she still wishes she never would have hurt Alex?"

"It doesn't matter," Abbie argues. "You still cheated, so you have no right to tell me anything. I'm getting out of here."

Before we can say another word, Abbie gets up from the table and leaves.

"I'm leaving, too," Alejandra tells us after a few more minutes.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"I need to hold Ana," she responds. "We're different now, aren't we, Case?"

"We are," I say as reassuringly as I can.

* * *

><p><strong>The Carmichael Residence<strong>

**Abbie's POV**

When I get home, the girls are in their rooms and my wife is fast asleep in our bed. She looks so angelic and for the first time in months I'm fighting every urge I have that's telling me to kiss her. I quickly change out of my clothes and into some pajamas so I can climb into bed with her.

"Hold me?" she asks even though she's still half asleep. I wrap my arms around Serena and pull her close to me.

"I love you," I say to her. I feel guilty for telling her that after what I've done, but it's how I truly feel about Serena. No matter what, she's still my wife and the mother of my children. A part of me wants to tell her what I've done, but I know this isn't the right time.

"You feel so good," she says. "It's been forever since you've actually held me."

"I'm going to hold you every night from now on," I tell her.

"And I'm going to let you," she teases.

"Rena?"

"Yes, babe?"

"Let's go somewhere, just the two of us."

"Like out to dinner?" she asks and I can't help but smile at her.

"I meant, let's go on vacation, just us. I need to get away."

"From what?"

"From the world," I tell her. "I don't care where we go. I just want to be with you. We can get a room and never leave it."

"Oh, that's what you have planned," she says flirtatiously.

"Maybe I just want to get reacquainted with my wife and make love to you for an entire weekend," I tell her. "When was the last time we went a whole weekend without wearing any clothes?"

"We've _never _done that," she reminds me.

"Then don't you think we should?"

"I think," Serena begins to say before kissing me. "...that's the greatest idea you've ever had and we should definitely go somewhere together."

"Rena?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe we should start practicing now?"

"Mommy!" we hear Abilene shout from her room. "Mommy, come here!"

"Duty calls," I say and quickly kiss my wife. "You better be naked when I get back."

Serena pulls her nightie over her head and places it at the foot of our bed. "Hurry back," she says and winks at me.


End file.
